Caution: Filling is Hot

Here's what readers have said about it."Fun, flirtatious, hot, passionate and simply delicious!""Perfect summer read!"

" - everything a woman is looking for in a romance."

"This story will have you believing in love at first sight,"

"I guarantee you will adore Caution: Filling is Hot."

"To put it simply, this book is FUN!"

"- a 'visual' treat."

" - a fun and spicy read you won't want to miss. The filling is definitely sizzling."

"If you love family romances, you will adore, Caution: Filling is Hot."

"If there were a dictionary entry for 'great summer read,' Caution: Filling is Hot would be the definition you'd find there."

Some men should come with a warning.

Here’s a recipe to share with friends. Take one prickly demonstration cook, handle carefully. Add one lonely widower, slightly beaten. Mix gently. Fold in two six-year-olds, one at a time to temper the batter and avoid scrambling. Then finally, add the mother with an agenda—but just a dash because she’s spicy. Whip into stiff peaks then spread over an ungreased sheet for best results. Method of cooking can vary, however--Caution: Filling is Hot.

Piper Frost is taking a break from men when contractor Chad Thomas crashes her cooking class and turns on the charm. His persistence annoys her but she’s already melting, even without his sneaky mother and conspiring twins in the mix. But just when things are really starting to sizzle, disaster strikes. Can Piper save her recipe for happily ever after or is it already ruined? Grab your oven mitts and find out.

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﻿﻿﻿Read the First Chapter

There are times when you can afford to amble. Sometimes jogging is prudent. This here was a haul ass situation. Chad Thomas checked his watch, cursed, and slammed the car door. He took off sprinting, his tie flapping in his face, the doors to Klein’s Supermarket looming large ahead of him. Leaping the curb, he veered away from the automatic doors—unwilling to spare even a single second waiting—and pushed inside the old-fashioned way. Skittering across the threshold on one foot, he executed a hard right and took off running again, shooting another impatient glance at his watch. “Shit!” He was already seven minutes late and rush hour traffic wasn’t going to help him make up the time. The reproduction station clock hanging directly above the liquor store entrance caught his eye. Feeling harassed by yet another reminder he scowled at that one too before dancing around a customer coming out. “Sorry, excuse me,” Chad said as he raced by, already scanning the store for the nearest employee. Bingo. He skidded to a breathless stop in front of the man and blurted out, “I’m in a hurry and need a hostess gift—fast.” The clerk, no doubt accustomed to demanding suburbanites, snapped his fingers, pivoted on his toe, and with clasped hands pointing the way, led him down the wine aisle. Halfway down the row, he came to a stop and turned three bottles to display their labels. “Any of these will go over nicely. Price-wise they’re in the same range. They’re from the same region and each is a Select of their individual vineyards. All three are popular sellers right now. You can’t go wrong.” The clerk stepped aside, allowing Chad to take a closer look. He picked up one of the bottles, turning it to read the back. After a moment, he nodded and handed it to the man. “This one will be fine.” The clerk gave him a self-satisfied smile and took the bottle. “Good. Let’s get you on your way.” Not two minutes later, with his purchase in hand, Chad bolted back out to the main supermarket and came to a screeching halt, his perfect pirouette the only thing stopping his collision with a loaded shopping cart. The sudden jolt of adrenaline left him shaken. The ambient sounds of the busy supermarket went mute, drowned out by the deafening echoes of the clog dance in his chest. With his hand pressed to his pounding heart, he stared in disbelief at the back of the shopper ambling away, still chatting on her cell phone. Incredible. She was completely unaware of their near miss. How could anyone be so distracted and oblivious? Just the thought of her getting behind the steering wheel next was more than a little frightening. He was struck instantly with the unfairness of his thought. Who was he to talk? Rushing recklessly to make up lost time? He was in no position to judge. What he needed to do was calm down, slow down, or he wasn’t going to get there in one piece. The silent reminder sobered him. Chad worked at the knot of his tie, wiggling it loose, and took a deep, calming breath. He was midway through his controlled exhalation when he glanced through the glass door of the store’s on-site Cook’s Classroom and his arms went slack, the wine, and the time, completely forgotten. “Whoa,” he whispered, utterly captivated by the woman teaching the class. It took a full minute before he remembered why he was in such a blasted hurry in the first place. When it came to him he pulled out his phone and scrolled for his friend’s number. The cell sent him straight to messages. Taking a deep breath, he grimaced as he tried their home phone instead. He heaved a sigh of relief when his friend answered. “Brent! It’s Chad. Boy, am I glad you picked up!” Chad stepped out of the way of another approaching cart. “Listen, something’s come up. I’m not going to make dinner after all. Sorry, I realize the timing sucks. Could you try to smooth things over with Pam for me?” He paused while Brent protested and berated him for canceling at the last minute. “Hey, come on. You know I wouldn’t bail on you if it wasn’t important. I’m sorry. I really am, but this is something that needs my immediate attention.” Chad’s eyebrows shot skyward in surprise when Brent confessed the real reason they asked him to dinner. “Well shit. And you knew about this? Pam could have asked.” He fell silent as his friend listed the reasons Pam thought an intervention was necessary. “I get it, but maybe I’d rather handle my own love life. All I’m saying is, it might have been nice to know ahead of time, that’s all. Tell Pam I don’t need her to scare up any more dates for me, okay?” Hearing how that sounded, Chad groaned, angry with himself. “No—that came out wrong. Don’t tell her like that. Ah, shit.” He tore his eyes away from the vision behind the glass and continued. “I appreciate how much you two have worried about me, but I’m okay. Honest. Let Pam know, all right? Oh, and give her a thank-you kiss from me.” Brent caved. Good man. “Thanks. I owe you. We’ll talk soon.” He chuckled at the colorful way his friend said goodbye and slipped his phone back into his pocket. * * * * Every head turned when the door swung open and an impeccably dressed man walked in. Piper didn’t know what unnerved her more, the way he looked directly at her or how, when their eyes met, they fused, stuck firm like a wet hand on ice cold metal. She had no idea how long she stood frozen, staring back at him before her wits returned. It didn’t happen on its own. To her mortification, it took the thirty-odd heads rotating back and forth between them to finally break the spell. The snickers and whispers didn’t help. They left a sickening aftertaste of embarrassment behind. Rattled and humiliated, Piper’s eyes narrowed. Her heated flush was so intense it made her scalp tingle. Digging deep for her dignity, she squared her shoulders and addressed the handsome newcomer. “We’re just getting started. You can hang your jacket on one of the hooks behind you.” Her tone was clipped, definitely frosty. It was the best she could manage under the circumstances. Anything more might have come out shaky. This guy was lucky she didn’t hurl a chef’s knife at him for making her look so foolish. She turned away, deliberately dismissing him, and smiled at an older couple seated in the front, hoping like hell they’d help her refocus. “As I was saying, my name is Piper Frost and tonight I’ll be demonstrating how easy it is to use spring form pans. As you know, we’ll be starting with a basic cheesecake and—” She glanced around the faces and, stupid, stupid, faltered on the man again. His slow, knowing smile was both intimate and infuriating. The arrogant ass! Shocked that he somehow managed to break her concentration again, Piper wanted him ejected from her classroom immediately. Unfortunately, even if there was someone she could call to deal with him, how could she justify her request? What would she say? He keeps looking at me? He’s distracting me? The very sight of him upsets me? If anyone said those things to her, she’d roll her eyes at them. Frustrated, she sucked it up and continued. “Now, my cream cheese has been at room temperature—” * * * * As it turned out, Chad was the most attentive person in the class, though no doubt the worst student. Had she asked him even one relevant question, such as oven temperature, he couldn’t have answered. But he would have no trouble describing the color of Piper’s eyes, the cadence of her voice, and the grace of her movements perfectly. When she looked down at her mixing bowl and applied the beaters, he was lost in the incredible array of colors in her hair; the golds, browns, reds, and the purest flashes of light itself. Who knew a head of hair could be so complex? It was obvious she was deliberately ignoring him, but that didn’t matter. Clearly something was happening between them. There would come a point when she forgot herself and dropped her guard. She’d seek him out again. When their eyes reconnected, they’d both reel from the punch. It was inevitable, indisputable. He could wait for it. He’d learned to be patient. The oven timer went off and Piper spun to pull out a cake. Setting it on the cooling rack, she put the demonstration cake into the oven in its place and reset the timer. Turning back to the class, and flashing a smile that could rival any professional game show hostess’s, she picked up the edge of the pan and showed the end result, pointing out the perfect color and the firm set of the filling. “Of course we’ll need to let the cake cool before we remove the rim.” She drew a platter of already cut samples from the refrigerator behind her and started passing them around. Murmurs of approval broke out around the room as people ate. “You can find copies of this recipe, as well as all the rest covered in this series, in the display by the door. Feel free to take one on your way out. Our emergency hotline is printed on the bottom of every recipe, so if you have any problems or concerns, you can call and speak with one of our professionals.” When Piper passed in front of his table with the platter, Chad found it highly entertaining to see how carefully she avoided meeting his eyes. Her focus was locked on his hand while he chose a sliver of cheesecake for himself. Taking a bite, he was smiling when she moved on to the couple at the next table. She had no trouble interacting with them. No. It was just him. He understood. Returning to the front counter, Piper faced the class. “For all of you parents here tonight, I’d like to mention the family sessions coming up. We’ll be focusing on how to make fruits and vegetables appealing to kids. We encourage you to bring your children along and discover fun in the kitchen together. Often, simply taking part in food preparation can make a finicky child more willing to try things they wouldn’t otherwise. I highly recommend it. Thank you for coming tonight to The Cook’s Classroom.” * * * * Piper smiled and waved off the last of her students, scattering store coupons among them like confetti. Expelling a sigh of relief, she closed the door and locked herself in, glad the cocky guy was out of her hair. She dreaded the end of class, assuming he would hang around until everyone else was gone. But thankfully, he left with the rest. Turning on the faucet and filling the sink, Piper’s mind drifted backward. What happened there tonight? How could he waltz in and totally dominate her without saying one word? She didn’t like it. Not at all. Even worse, he seemed to enjoy seeing her so rattled. Only a creepy wacko would get off on throwing a woman off her stride like that. Once the last bowl was washed and dried, Piper was ready to call it a night. She shut off the lights and locked up behind her. With mere minutes left to closing, the store felt empty, though she spotted a couple of shoppers hurrying for the only checkout lane still open. Piper waved goodnight to the cashier and made her way to the employee exit. Every step she took was painful, eliciting a soft groan. She looked down at her feet, both admiring and hating her cute shoes. Her suffering was so unnecessary. She knew better. Fashion meant diddly-squat when you were on your feet all day. If she was going to wear these shoes again, she needed to buy arch supports. * * * * What a night! Chad relaxed against the fender of his car and basked in the afterglow of this sudden and unexpected attraction. Sighing deeply, he exhaled even more heat into the already balmy air. If tonight was any indicator, this summer was going to be a scorcher. Weaving his fingers together, he stretched his arms up and over his head, bending backward with a pleasurable groan. Then, returning to ease, he rolled his sleeves up another turn, glad his tie and blazer were on his Audi’s passenger seat and not on him. Captivated by the night sky, he felt an intrinsic connection to the universe. The last sliver of sunlight running along the horizon held him spellbound. As he watched, the colors deepened, intensified, then flared outward before beginning a slow fade, the glow eventually and inevitably smothered by night. The sense of loss it left behind was bittersweet and so acute it staggered him. Shaking his head, he brushed aside his momentary sadness and refocused on the reason he lingered in this dark parking lot. He was still amazed at how the evening had shifted on him. There was no question he needed to make it up to Brent and Pam. His culpability burned, yet he found it oddly poetic they were planning to set him up tonight and by simply stopping for a hostess gift, he ended up meeting a woman on his own. Okay, meeting wasn’t exactly the right word. Discovered? Found? The point was, if things went where he hoped they were headed, his friends would still get the credit for bringing him and the lovely Ms. Frost together. Thinking back, Chad couldn’t help but chuckle at how he’d been swept out the door with the rest of the class only to return afterward and find the door locked. Oh well, this was better anyway. The setting was certainly more conducive to romance. Or it was if you were moved by a starry sky. He wondered at his chances of persuading her to join him for coffee or a drink tonight. Freed from his dinner engagement he was open, very open, to hanging out with her for a while. Ten years. Could it really be ten years since he’d felt a spark like this? He thought back and saw Chelsea all over again. It was the same for them, their immediate attraction sizzling and mutual. Chad believed in love at first sight. He’d experienced it. A heavy steel door slammed closed and he turned. The reverberations echoed across the dark parking lot and faded into the night. He straightened up, all of his senses, every muscle in his body, at attention. It was her. She crossed the parking lot, moving out of shadow, through spots of light, and back into shadow again. Every brief glimpse was as tantalizing as a striptease and set Chad’s heart racing. He was astounded at how just the sight of her thrilled him. His excitement transformed into sympathy as her unmistakable fatigue reached out to him. Her face revealed pain with every step she took. The poor thing needed a foot massage far more than a cup of coffee. He wished he could offer one, but a suggestion like that was ridiculously premature. * * * * Piper walked gingerly across the employee lot, wincing every time her right heel landed. Muttering at her stupidity, she didn’t notice the silhouette of a man loitering around the parked cars until it was too late. She paused, alert and guarded, gripping her keys so tight they bit into her fingers. Peering into the shadows, she strained to identify who it was before she took another step. Of course now the insanity of wearing these shoes really hit her. Damn. There was no way she could outrun a turtle if she had to. She scanned the area hoping to spot anyone, anyone at all, within easy shouting distance in case she needed help. There was no one. Her heart sank. Great, just great. Fine, she’d taken a self-defense class—once. She ought to know what to do if it came to that—hopefully. The man straightened and pushed off from the hood of his car. She assumed it was his car. He started walking toward her. The instant Piper recognized who it was her wary eyes narrowed. Of course! She should have known. Who else would lurk around out here? She wasn’t pleased to see him again. “Stop right there,” she ordered. “I have mace and I’m not afraid to use it.” He seemed genuinely surprised by her threat. Stopping, he held up his hands in calm surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve been waiting.” She cocked her head, even more suspicious now. “For what?” “For you,” he said simply. Piper’s temper spiked. “Why?” Her anger must have registered because the guy’s confidence finally wavered. “I’m beginning to wonder that myself,” he admitted. “I was hoping we could go someplace and talk.” “Talk? I don’t think so.” She took a step back from him. “This is my time, and I don’t mix socially with my students.” He seemed genuinely amused by her explanation. Her glare stopped him from laughing outright. Attempting to calm her with a placating smile, he said, “Look, I’m not a threat. We connected in there. All I wanted to do was invite you out so we could discuss it.” “Not interested.” She turned to leave and he made the mistake of reaching for her arm. Her keys came up. “Remove your hand now or I’ll blast you.” She was deadly serious, her thumb already on the pump of the canister attached to the key ring. He let go, heeding her warning. “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. But I’m not wrong about that connection. You know it. I know it. Everyone knew it.” She was too angry and unsettled to admit the truth. His passionate argument failed to soften her. “You’re mistaken. Now step back.” Left with no other choice, he complied, but she felt his disappointment. Getting into her car, she hit the door locks and fired up the engine. She avoided looking directly at him, though she knew he hadn’t moved. She could feel him watching her, even when she pulled out and gunned the engine, tearing out of the nearly empty parking lot and into traffic. Piper slapped up the turn signal and cranked the wheel through the next intersection, still shaking her head in bewilderment. What the hell just happened back there? Where did all this hostility come from? Her behavior was...well, let’s face it, bizarre. She knew instinctively the guy didn’t pose a threat to her, at least not the physical kind, but mentally and emotionally? That was a different story altogether. So what was really bothering her? That she found him attractive? No point denying it. She’d made it embarrassingly obvious to a good thirty people tonight, Hot Stuff included. Could it be his confidence? She wavered on this question. Normally she liked confident men, but there was a difference here. This time it was personal. Just remembering the bold and possessive look on his face, seeing how his smile seemed to say, ‘you’ll belong to me,’ absolutely galled her. Fat chance now, bucko. At this point, it didn’t matter in the slightest if she found him gorgeous because his cocky attitude was a huge turn off. Nothing chilled her down more these days than a charismatic swagger. She was smarter now and she wasn’t about to fall for another one. Thanks so very much, Mick, for the hard lesson! Still, for all her internal bluster, she couldn’t sidestep the inescapable and unsettling truth. There was an attraction, glaringly apparent to everyone. When Piper replayed the situation in her mind she imagined herself as a big screen television with all eyes trained on her until that man, whoever the hell he was, walked in holding her remote control. She could hardly fault the class for noticing whenever his thumb hit the pause button and she froze right in front of them. How did he manage to fluster her so badly? Surely that was grounds enough to dislike him. Wasn’t it? If so, why did remembering how rude she was to him bother her so much? * * * * Chad didn’t move until the burn of Piper Frost’s angry tail lights were long gone, absorbed into the glow of traffic. What the hell just happened? He scratched the back of his head and tried to figure out what he’d done to provoke her—anything that could account for such a violent reaction. It might have been fear, except fear didn’t exactly fit. She was more than capable of handling herself, from what he just saw. She didn’t back off like a scared rabbit. No, she stood her ground and warned him off. It impressed him. He knew too, absolutely knew, the attraction was mutual. He wouldn’t have waited outside for thirty minutes for her otherwise. Of course there was the possibility she was involved with someone else. Chad brushed the idea aside. Forget it. A boyfriend was one of the first things she would have mentioned to discourage him. A husband? No. He’d zoomed in on her bare left hand before walking into her classroom. Actually, he appreciated her honesty. A lot of women wouldn’t hesitate to lie about being in a relationship. By not using an easy out, she just told him more about herself than she probably realized. She was an intriguing puzzle. Obviously he’d mishandled things tonight, but he could learn from it. He wasn’t an idiot. More importantly, he wasn’t easily run off when he wanted something—and he wanted Piper Frost. He absolutely wanted her. It was late when Chad got home, but after looking at the clock and weighing the matter, he chose to make the call anyway. “Mom, come shopping with me tomorrow.” “Chad, you really need to take out women your own age,” she said in her dry, mocking way. He faked a laugh as he tugged off his shoes and dropped them next to the bed. “I’m working on it.” “Really? It’s about time.” “Funny.” He didn’t need guff from her tonight too. “Just come with me, all right?” “Why? Give me a reason.” “Here’s the thing...I met a woman tonight, but somehow got off on the wrong foot with her. She threatened to mace me—” He pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it for a second. “You’re laughing, Mother?” Her mirth was coming through loud and clear. “Mace?” Chad sighed and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Yes. It’s a first. So I thought if I took you shopping—you know, played the dutiful son—she might not feel so threatened by me.” There was a long pause on the other end. “Fine, but you’re driving.”